title: Quantitive cytokine mRNA expression profiles in the colonic mucosa of patients with steroid naïve ulcerative colitis during active and quiescent disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cytokines have validated roles in the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study was to investigate the expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 mRNAs in the colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) during active and quiescent UC.
  
  
  METHODS
  At colonoscopy, biopsies were taken from inflamed and non-inflamed mucosa of patients with steroid-naive UC (n = 15), non-IBD inflammatory colitis controls (ICC, n = 6), and non-colitis controls (NCC, n = 14). The presence of extensive mononuclear cells and neutrophils infiltrate in the lamina propria, cryptitis, and epithelial damage defined an inflammatory lesion in the mucosa. Quantitative cytokine mRNA expressions in biopsies were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 15 UC patients, 3 remitted with 5-aminosalicylate and 11 received granulocytapheresis; of these, 10 remitted. At baseline, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, and IL-10 mRNAs were high in inflamed mucosa compared with NCC (P < 0.01). In active UC, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 mRNAs were high compared with non-inflamed mucosa (P = 0.03, P = 0.03, P < 0.05, respectively). Both TNF-alpha mRNA (P = 0.03) and IL-6 mRNA (P = 0.04) were higher in UC compared with ICC. Even in non-inflamed mucosa, IL-8 and TNF-alpha mRNA expressions were high compared with NCC. Both IL-6 and IL-8 mRNAs decreased to normal levels after granulocytapheresis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During active UC, all 4 cytokine mRNA levels were high; only IL-6 and IL-8 mRNAs decreased to normal levels during remission. IL-8 mRNA was high even at sites of endoscopically quiescent UC during active disease. Steroid naïve patients respond well to granulocytapheresis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Fujisawa Shounandai Hospital, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan. reikeim@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Reikei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koide
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tokoro
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Ten'i
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Godai
authors.forename: Taiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morohashi
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kawana
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Umemura
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006098:Granulocytes; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007937:Leukapheresis / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019804:Mesalamine